Public Health Practices

In order to facilitate timely communications and ensure safety of responders, the Florida Department of Health developed a virtual Joint Information Center (JIC). Key to its success in saving agency resources were its use of existing capacity on their emergency notification system, open source software redundancy, easy global accessibility, provision of necessary communications resources in one place, and responsiveness to staff needs.

Houston, Texas, is susceptible to seasonal hurricanes and other disasters due to its proximity to the Gulf Coast. To address this vulnerability, city and school planners implemented a disaster preparedness curriculum in Houston schools. The curriculum used targeted information and homework assignments to train elementary school children to act as preparedness ambassadors to their families. Teachers implemented the program in 57 classrooms, and its messages reached just under 5,000 people.

The Vietnamese and Latino communities have been well-established in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Vietnamese began coming to New Orleans in the mid-1970s, starting their own restaurants, stores, and organizations. Primarily established in New Orleans East and the West Bank, the Vietnamese community has developed a self-sustaining community network, including health care resources.